T. Hikmet Karakoc, Ph.D., graduated from Anadolu University, the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He received his M.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Yildiz Technical University. He received his Ph.D. from Anadolu University, where he started his full-time teaching and received his Full Professorship. He is currently researching at the Eskisehir Technical University. He has a wide range of research interests, including sustainable aviation, aircraft propulsion systems, insulation, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC), indoor air quality, gas turbines, cogeneration systems, renewable energy, energy economics, fuels, and combustion. He has participated in numerous industrial projects on these topics as a researcher, consultant, and project manager for over 30 projects and corporations. He also started a contest on special insulation applications among university students. He served as an Editor-in-Chief, guest editor, and editorial board member for international scientific journals. He published national and international papers in over 300 journals and 40 books. Professor Karakoc actively follows membership positions for the Chamber of Mechanical Engineers and many sectorial associations, international scientific organizations, and societies. He is an active Board of Directors member of the International Association for Green Energy. He is currently holding the presidency of the SARES organization, which is actively supporting scientists and students in the area of sustainable aviation. He also organizes four symposiums on aviation subject areas as a Founding Chair.
Jozsef Rohacs, Ph.D., is a Full Professor emeritus at the Department of Aeronautics and Naval Architecture at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME). He served 12 years as Dean for Scientific Affairs and led the Department of Aircraft and Ships for over 20 years. He has extensive experience in high-level advising at large civil and military companies and managing small companies and foundations. Dr. Rohacs delivers lectures on numerical methods, numerical optimization, aerodynamics, flight mechanics, and control and development philosophies. He has an extensive practice in project management, including investigation, research technology, and product development. He was involved in many EU-supported projects (over 26 international projects), including EPATS, Sat-Rdmp, Sinbad, Pplane, Esposa, Innovate, SmartPolis, Nelui, and others, and coordinated the EU L1 level project, Gabriel. He is the professional and technical manager of the national project IDEA-e, developing the technology for electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems and conceptual design for the 4-seater electric and hybrid cargo UAV aircraft.
Daniel Rohacs, Ph.D., is Head of the Department of Aeronautics and Naval Architecture at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME). He served for the Research Development and Simulation Department at HungaroControl - Hungarian Air Navigation Services as the head of the department for many years. He worked for Eurocontrol (Bretagny) as a doctoral researcher for three years as a Ph.D. student at École Pratique des Hautes Études, Sorbonne (2004 - 2005), and visiting Ph.D. student at Princeton University. He has good management practice as a research director of SME Rea-Tech Ltd (since 2006) and CEO of RDS-X Ltd. (2005 – 2007). Dr. Rohacs is very active in international cooperation and research, including the EU-supported projects EPATS, Sat-Rdmp, Sinbad, Pplane, Esposa, Innovate, SmartPolis, and as project manager of L1 Gabriel project, USIS SESAR UTM, SafeFly, IDEA-e, and special projects at HungaroControl, including the introduction of free-routing and remote tower concepts into operation, developing new ideas, disruptive technologies, and solutions. He is active in international conference organizations and participates in IFAR (International Forum for Aviation Research). Dr. Rohacs is well known for combining solid technical and institutional backgrounds from academia and an open and dynamic business approach in the international market.
Selcuk Ekici, Ph.D., received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Eskisehir Osmangazi University, an MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Anadolu University, and his Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Eskisehir Technical University in 2008, 2015, and 2019 respectively. He is currently the Head of the Aviation Department at Igdir University. Dr. Ekici has authored/co-authored books, book chapters, journal and conference papers, and numerous technical reports. He is an active member of various international scientific organizations and societies and serves as an associate editor and editorial board member for various international journals. An active researcher and supervisor, his research areas include aviation, thermodynamics, gas turbine engines, alternative/renewable fuels, and the environment.
Alper Dalkiran, Ph.D., received his bachelor’s degree Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Eskisehir Technical University (formerly known as Anadolu University) from the Avionics Department. He completed his MSc degree in the School of Science from Anadolu University in 2004 in Aviation Maintenance. He earned his Ph.D. degree in 2017 in Environmental Sustainability on Airports from the School of Science at Anadolu University by developing a model of energy-based calculations of an aerodrome. Dr. Dalkiran has studied aircraft engines, sustainability, airports, and exergy. He has 17 years of professional experience in airports in information technology, automation, and integration. He has managed teams on system design, projects, tests, commissioning, operational readiness, and operations. He has been working in the School of Aviation at Suleyman Demirel University since 2019 and lecturing in flight theory, airline management, and airport design subjects.
Utku Kale, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Aeronautics and Naval Architecture at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) in Hungary. He is currently training to become an airline pilot on the Airbus A320. In the framework of the ERASMUS program, he spent over a year at the University of Castilla La-Mancha, Spain. He has been involved in several international and national projects, including SESAR, Clean Sky, ERASMUS Plus, DU SPoC, and Hungarian EFOP. Dr. Kale is the author of over 40 articles. He received a Young Researcher Award in 2019 from the Sustainable Aviation Research Society (SARES) and a year-long success scholarship from Koc Holding. He was president of the Miskolc EAGE (European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers) Student Chapter in 2016/2017. He is currently a member of EAGE and SARES and is an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Sustainable Aviation.
